Pen, pen-point, and process of making same



May 16, 1933. w A. s. HECKlNG PEN, PEN POINT, AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAMEFiled Sept. 15 1927 Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEWILLIAM A. S. HEOKING, OF TEANECK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJOSEPH F. OBRIEN, OF ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY I PEN, PEN-POINT, AND PROCESSOF MAKING SAME Application filed September 15, 1927. Serial No. 219,618.

This invention relates-to improvements in pens, pen-points and processesof making same. 1

As heretofore manufactured, gold pens tipped with the material known inthe penmaking trade as iridium or iridium composition have been providedwith tips of varying irregular shapes and configuration, and in order toprovide a smooth writing surface these tips of irregular shape werenecessarily slit and then held in order to be trimmed or ground onopposite sides, at front and rear and on top to bring the iridium tipportion into a conformation substantially like a frustum of a pyramidwith the top corners rounded. This results in considerable labor andexpense and in so trimming or grinding, the metallic iridium or hardcomposition, which is coated with gold, is often unequally arranged onopposite sides of the slit, and in this grinding a substantial part ofthe iridium tip is often wasted.

The object of this invention is to avoid the labor and expense ofgrinding tips of such irregular shape by providing or mounting on a pen,a tip of iridium or similar hard metal composition having the shape of asphere or ball, whereby substantially all grinding will be eliminatedand a better and smoother writing point will be provided. V

Another object of the invention is to produce pens having iridium ballpoints so slitted as to provide a smooth and non-scratching writingpoint which will in writing not a catch in the paper but will glide overthe surface thereof, and at thesame time produce an even uniform mark.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises thecombination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to co-actand cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions andthe accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises inone of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view of an irregularly-shapedpiece or block of iridium or similar hard material suitable for making aconventional pen point Fig. 2 is a view of a sphere formed of a block ofmetallic iridium or other composition, such as shown in Fig. 1, andcomprising my preformed pen point; i

Fig. 3 is a view, in plan, of a conventional pen blank;

Figs. 4 and 5 are plan'and edge views of a conventional pen blank havingthe point notched and the spherical ball mounted in the notch;

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan and edge views re spectively of a pen point afterthe sphere has been brazed in place on said point;

Fig. 8 is a view, in plan, of a pen point showing the blank after it hasbeen put through the usual operations of rolling, blanking, piercing,stamping, raising, cutting off and, lastly, slitting;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 of a pen point showing the edgesofthe slit smoothed ed; and

Figs. 10 and 11 are respectively plan and edge views of the finished penembodying my invention.

Referring now to this drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodimentof my invention, 1 indicates a gold pen blank which is prepared fortipping in the conventional manner as has-been used heretofore fortipping with irregularly shaped points of iridium or similarcomposition, and on which,

in accordance with my invention, is mounted a ball or spherical point 2which will obviously provide a better writing point having a moreuniform bearing surface and providing a non-scratching writing point.The ball or spherical tip or point 2 is composed of a block 2 of iridiumor similar hard composition of iridium and other metals conven tionallyused for application to pens for the purpose of providing hard andsubstantially indestructible points.

In accordance with this invention, the tip or point 2 is initiallyformed in the shape of a ball or sphere, is then mounted and brazed onthe conventionally formed and notched pen blank, the ball-point becauseof its shape being capable of symmetrical mounting in the notch in thepen blank which is thereafter put through the usual operations ofrolling, blanking, piercing, stamping, raising, cutting off andpolishing, after which the pen and ball-point is slitted. This isaccomplished by guiding the point-end of the pen into cutting contactwith a conventional slitter 3.

, By myinvention as aforesaid, the balls are initially formed and whenthe point is notched as shown at 4 in Figs. 4 and 5, and the ball 2placed in the said notch 4 by the conventional method, the ball 2 isbrazed or sweated on the notched point of the blank 1 and shape of theball causes it to assume a symmetrical relationship to the point, asshown in Figs. 6 and 7, so that all pen points provided with ball tipsare capable of being slit along a substantially standard line, which isnot possible with irregularly shaped tips. These balls or spheres ofiridium or similar hard metal composition may be formed in any suitableway, and I have heretofore made balls of this type by taking theirregularly shaped tips or blocks of metal heretofore used, isolatingeach of the blocks and melting or fusing the same at a high heat tocause the irregularly shaped block to assume the form of a globulardrop, which when cooled will have the configuration or shape of asphere.

When a ball or spherical point as hereinabove specified has beenutilized, no further grinding or trimming is necessary, except that itis desirable to separate the two parts of the point and to round off thesharp edges at opposite sides of the slit, as shown at 5 in Fig. 9whereupon the pen will be finished as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 and readyfor mounting in a fountain pen holder or' for such other use as may bedesired. I

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A pen comprising a pointed and formed metallic blank having mountedon and fastened thereto at the pointed end a writing point composed of apreformed body of hard metal of completely spherical shape, the said penhaving a slitextending substantially diametrically through its Saidspherical body.

2. A gold pen comprising a pointed and formed metallic blank havingmounted on and fastened thereto at the pointed end a point composed of apreformed body of hard metal of completely spherical shape, the i saidpen having a slit in a line substantially coinciding with the diameterof the spherical body.

3. A pen comprising a pointed and formed metallic blank formed ofprecious metal having mounted on and fastened thereto at the pointed enda point composed of a preformed body of hard metal ofcompletelyspherical shape, the said pen having a slit in a linesubstantially coinciding with the diameter of the sphere, and alsohaving the edges of the pen polnt adjacent to the slit of said ballrounded ofi.

4. A process of pen making which comprises first forming by fusing ashot-like body having an operative writing surface, then securing saidbody to a pen, and finally splitting said body.

5. A process of pen making which comprises first fusing a point body toform a surface adapted for writing use without further processing tosaid surface, and then fusing said point to a pen, and finally splittingsaid point. 6. A process of making pen points, comprising fusing smallbodies to provide curved surfaces of a shape adapted for writing; andsecuring the bodies to the respective prongs of pens, said surfacesbeing retained free of grinding to form the writing surface.

7. A pen point comprising, two substantial halves of a centrally splitshot-like body, said halves having curved and hardened writing surfaces,adapted to be secured to the points of a Writing pen.

8. A body adapted to be split to form complementary portions of a penpoint, said body comprising a small shot-like superficially hardenedbody of non-corrosive metal having a smooth polished curvedsurface.

9. An article of trade comprising body adapted to be fused and split toform complementary portions of a pen point, said I body comprising asmall hardened body of non-corrosive metal of inherent set and shapecaused by the natural properties of the metal,

and having a smooth polished curved surface of inherent molecular setand contour.

10. A pen comprising a pen body having a split and pointed outer end;and a'pen point secured to said end and comprising two substantialhalves of a shot-like body centrally split, said halves having curvedand hard writin surfaces.

11. pen comprising a pen body having a split and pointed outer end; anda pen point secured to said'end and comprising two substantial halvesofa body fused and centrally split, said halves having curved and hardwriting surfaces of a shape caused by the natural properties of themetal.

12. A pen having writing points embodying complementary parts of aglobular body having inherent operative writing surfaces. 13. A penhaving writing points embodving halves of a preformed globular bodyhaving inherent operative writing surfaces.

14. A pen having writing points embodying preformed bodies each havinginherent operative writing surfaces.

15. A pen having writing points comprising bodies, each having a curvedhard writing surface of inherent molecular set and shape.

In witness whereof, I have signed my name :to the foregoingspecification.

WILLIAM A. S. HECKING.

